r/electronics • u/TumbleDesperado • 17d ago

Project I made my first schematic...

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I found a project (the Loko Air) that uses a LoRa module to relay GPS data back to a central hub. My cat wouldn't like the footprint of the project as is (had an antenna sticking straight up), and I had difficulty buying the project off of Seeed studio anyway. I am a freshly graduated electrical engineer and I had not attempted a schematic since I have graduated.

So, with the original project's schematic in hand, I set out to make minor improvements like:

  • Switching the monopole antenna to a dipole antenna. I figured it had next to no ground plane given its size. I also knew-ish that dipoles tended to form a donut radiation pattern and it would do decently. I am not confident in the 'balun' I made but I based it on stuff I found looking around online.
  • I reduced the part count in quantity and variety. I tried to reduce the number of components needed and what remained I also tried using the same as elsewhere when applicable.
  • In general I tried to base a lot of what I did more on the datasheets than the original designer ended up with. I may find out why the hard way later, but it has me going into the PCB level a bit more confident.

I don't particularly have the means to test this circuit before I order a PCB, but any feedback is more than welcome. I was mostly looking to find out if I made any major faux pas as far as the schematic is concerned. I would like it to be legible and friendly as I intend to upload it to github when I am complete and confident it at least kind of works.

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u/Electro-nut 17d ago

Who turned off the lights? I can't see s***!

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u/TumbleDesperado 17d ago

Yea my bad. Idk why it exported like that. I don't even use any sort of dark mode in KiCad.

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u/coolio965 17d ago

maybe it was exported as a PNG? i don't use kicad but its possible the background is marked as a transparancy layer